Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-05-15
a.racinus ycrgeance.

Asrecious Vengeance
For the second time in the last two
wears woman has disfgured a man
in this State by throwing vitrlol IN
his face. There is something pecu-
liarlv inhuman in this act. A woman
has az all times right to defend her
honor, and the public is apt TO be
most lepjent in sitting in judgment
upon her acts. 1t is very hard to get
up any sympathy for the male party
TO a controversy in which a woman
employs either the knife or pistol.
But when a female deliberately plans
to main man for life, subjecting him
to agonies which strong men cannot
witness without horror, and aiming
with fiendish malignity TO put her
victim without the pale of his fellows,
the case is entirely different. There
is about such an act deep-seated
malice which ought not to be con-
doned. The community is interested
in seeing THAT deed OF such atrocity
should receive adequate punishment.
The San Francisco Ereaing Post has
some admirable reflections on this
phase OF the matter. 1t says:
"a singular state of affairs appears
to exist with reference to the horrible
case oi vitriol throwing at Los An
geles. The matter is treated as II it
concerned nobody but the persons
involved. II the victim is found to
have been guilty of insulting his as
sailant, it is asserted that the case
will not be taken into the Courts at
all. Even now, with no information
except from the woman's unsatlsfac-
tory statement, the authorities are in
effect apologizing for the painful duty
of annoying her, and instead of keep
ing her in Jail like an ordinary pris-
oner, they allow her, in default OF
bail, to remain at home in charge OF a
constable.
clos Angeles must be reminded
that Petrie, hideous as his suflerings
are, is not the only injured party in
this affair. The community has
to say before torture and
mutilalion become recognized tea
lures oil our social code. We had a
similar case in San Francisco, not
ong ago, and before it was disposed OF
it had come to be generally consid-
cred as the private business of the
man and woman involved. 1t is time
that public policy should receive
some consideration.
"Judged by ber own statement,
the Los Angeles yitriol-thrower de-
serves no sympathy. Her deed was
not the sudden act OF a desperate de-
fense, seizing the first weapon within
reach, but was carefully and coolly
premeditated. Two months be fore,
Petrie, when recovering from an i'll
ness, had been guilty OF complaining
to Mrs. Rozelle that she and the
other dodgers neglected him. To
aveuge this insult, Mrs. Rozelle and
her chivalrous husband prepared the
vitriol for convenient use, and kept it
In readiness for new provocation.
After the crime was committed, the
woman showed a thoroughly bad and
unfeeling heart She played cards
with calm unconcern, and expressed
the hope that her victim would be
blinded for life.
"I)ilatory Courts may add this
fiendish affair to the long list OF
crimes for which they are largely re-
sponsible. They have succeeded, by |
delays and quibbles, in dissociating |
the ideas Of transgression and pun
ishmeDt, so that, instead Of an Of
tense bringing it's retribution as a
match bringsgfire, snch penalties as
are occasionally inflicted have the
of spasmodc outbreaks
Of yindctiveness. The bounding
Of the press" has begun reform, but
there is still much to be done. I'm
less some new justification is devel-
oped, this Los Angeles atrocity will
be an excellent place to mend the
record. II the woman cannot inn
prove her story, the public will waste
no sympathy on her fate, and, above
Ill, it will approve any punishment
hat can befall her cowardly husband.
The woman who can think OF no bet
II way to protect her honor than TO
mira, her assailant into a premedi-
ated mutilation shines by compar-
son with the husband who could de-
Use no better method of fulfilling his
wn duties than to incite her to do it,"
Since the Post wrote the foregoing !